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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Sporting Kansas City's Benny Feilhaber voted MLS Player of the Week

SportingKC.com

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber was named MLS Player of the Week on Tuesday for Week 29 of the 2015 regular season. Feilhaber scored the opening two goals in Sporting Kansas City's 3-1 victory over FC Dallas on Friday at Sporting Park.

In the 65th minute, Feilhaber won a set piece 20 yards out and curled the ensuing free kick around the wall with a shot that glanced off the post before nestling into the back of the net. The goal was Sporting Kansas City's first scored directly from a free kick in the regular season since July 19, 2014 when Feilhaber was also the goal scorer against the LA Galaxy.

Feilhaber then added his second goal of the night 11 minutes later, converting his fifth penalty in five attempts this season. The 30-year-old playmaker is now tied for the team lead with 10 goals in the regular season and is also tied for the League lead with 14 assists, making him only the third player in club history to reach double digits in both goals and assists in a single season.

An MLS MVP candidate, Feilhaber has scored or assisted on 24 of the team's 44 regular season goals this season and set a new club record with 19 assists across all competitions. Toronto FC Designated Player Sebastian Giovinco is the only other MLS player with 10 or more goals and assists to date.

Feilhaber was voted MLS Player of the Month for April and received MLS All-Star honors for the first time in his career. In his fifth MLS season, he now has 22 goals and 33 assists in 137 MLS regular season appearances.

Feilhaber played professionally in Germany, England and Denmark prior to signing with Major League Soccer in 2011. He debuted with the the U.S. Men's National Team in 2007 and has 41 caps, including appearances at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from North American Soccer Reporters. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.